Rockvale testimony: Driver was female

Multiple people Tuesday testified that Ashley Drake or a female was driving the car the night of April 25, 2016, when a 2001 Ford Taurus collided with a parked 1999 Dodge truck in Rockvale.

The crash resulted in the death of Rodley Cornell, 22, and the injuries of three people: Drake, 19, and Summer Middleton, 19, and pedestrian, James McKissack, 58.

Jerome Grant Blasingime, 20, is on trial for allegedly being the driver and is being charged with vehicular homicide-DUI, vehicular homicide-reckless, three counts of vehicular assault-DUI, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or both and reckless driving.

According to various testimonies, Cornell and Middleton, who were involved in a relationship, were in the backseat of the vehicle, while Drake was believed to have been in the passenger seat with Blasingime driving.

However, Tuesday, the defense called several witnesses who all gave testimony that placed Drake in the driver's seat.

Med Williams, a Colorado Department of Corrections officer and neighbor, said he was one of the first people to get to the crash site prior to first responders arriving.

He said when get got to the car, he opened the passenger door and began helping people out of the car.

Williams said he helped Blasingime out first and then Drake, whose legs were pinned underneath the steering wheel.

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"There was I guess steam and people around the car kept saying it was on fire," Williams said when explaining why he was moving people out of the car.

After he helped Drake out of the car, Williams said he passed her off to someone but wasn't sure because he stayed at the car with Middleton, who was unable to get out of the back seat.

"She was freaking out, yelling ... I was trying to just keep her calm until helped arrive," he said.

McKissack, the pedestrian struck by the car, also testified and said he remembers seeing two women on the driver's side of the vehicle.

"Their eyes were wide open, looking right at me," he said, adding the look on their face's was like they were saying, "Oh, my God."

McKissack said he remembers seeing two women because the event is something he can't forget.

"I remember it because I was hit by a car," he said.

He said at the time of the crash, he didn't remember much of anything as he was dazed and confused from being hit. But once he was able to think about it, he remembered seeing the two females.

"There definitely wasn't a man in the driver's seat," he said.

Also testifying Tuesday morning was Dr. Leon Kelly, chief medical examiner from El Paso County. He testified about the injuries each victim suffered and how he used medical reports from each individual to determine where each person was in the car at the time of the crash.

He said certain injuries sustained could exclude them from certain seats in the crash and based on injuries, one could fairly assume the driver of the car was either Blasingime or Drake.

The defense rested their case after the lunch recess; neither Blasingime or Drake took the stand to testify.

The District Attorney's Office called a few witnesses for their rebuttal, recalling Middleton and Fremont County Sheriff's Office Deputy Tony Murillo.

The DA took about 30 minutes to present their rebuttal as they asked witnesses additional questions that clarified certain things said by defense witnesses.

Middleton was asked if she did ever have a conversation with Ashley Ziemer, Cornell's sister, after the crash occurred.

Ziemer testified Tuesday that Summer lived with her family for awhile after the crash and was told by Summer that she thought either Blasingime or Drake was the driver.

During the DA's rebuttal, Middleton was asked about Ziemer's testimony and if she remembered the conversation and telling Ziemer who she thought was driving.

Middleton responded that she did not say Drake was driving.

The trial will continue as closing arguments are expected to be presented Wednesday morning.

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